We are thrilled to announce the publication of Performing Violence: Limits and Transformative Means in Staged Violence by Davide Giovanzana, now available through Routledge.
It is with great delight and excitement that I point out the publication of my research Performing Violence by Routledge. It is the result of my artistic post doc research. It took me six years to digest all the data gathered during the post doc and translate them into this monograph
About the Book
What is this book about: Considering all the aspects of a theater performance engaging with staged violence (the story displaying violence, the actors’ embodiment of violence, the spectators’ experiences of being exposed to violence, the process of performing violence), this book proposes analytical and practical tools to explore the limit and to transform the experience of performing violence. In addition, Hanna Arendt’s book Violence, Slavoj Zizek’s book Violence, Walter Benjamin’s book Critique of Violence, Giorgio Agamben’s book State of Exception, Wolgang Sfoski’s book Treatise on Violence, René Girard’s book The Violence and the Sacred and Simon Weil’s book On Power, are put in dialogue with theatre plays and theatre performances to debunk the hidden narratives hovering the stage when violence is performed.
Eventually the book offers to the readers, an exhaustive approach to all forms of staged violence, and in-depth analysis of their emergence and repercussion (dramaturgically and physically). It offers instruments to surpass the dichotomic opposition victim-oppressor, to demystify the spell of violence, to get rid of the morbid voyeurism often connected to staged violence and eventually proposes transformative tools to explore empowering experiences through violence.
Acknowledgments
– This work could not have been possible with the help of many friends, students and colleague. I would like to thank Professor Anders Carlsson who allowed me to carry my artistic post doc research, The Imagination of Violence, in his theatre department, says Giovanzana.
– I would like to thank the students of acting in Swedish at the theatre academy of Helsinki who took part in the exploratory workshops on violence: Joel Forsbacka, Antonia Henn, Emilia Jansson, Matilda Kruse, Oksana Lommi, Herman Nyby, Martin Paul, Antti Saarikallio, Tom Salminen, Astrid Stenberg, Emelie Zilliacus. I would like to thank also Yuko Takeda for her presence and documentation during the workshop. And also the photographer Keme Pellicer.
– I would like to thank the theatre research group T7* of Tampere University who provided invaluable insights. And Till Baumhauer for having exhibited parts of the artistic post doc research, The Imagination of Violence, in the collective exhibition that he curated at Dresden Motorhallen.
– I would like also to thanks Tytti Pohjola, who provided accurate language revision, continues Giovanzana.
Discover the Book
To explore Performing Violence, visit Routledge’s website.
This book is a must-read for theater professionals, researchers, and anyone intrigued by the transformative power of staged violence.
*now Boundaries of Performing